Hotele niedaleko Oulanka National Park, Kuusamo

We stayed 4 nights in the week leading up to Chris**as in one of the lodges and have to say the accommodation was excellent. We had a lodge 10 mins walk from the main complex wuth bedroom on the first floor of the duplex and two ground floor bedrooms a kitchen diner and lounge. Downstairs shower room was big and had a sauna at the end of it, there was a covered patio but it was too cold to use it - there were amazing views of a frozen lake out the back. The hotel itself was good, breakfast was standard offering I would say and we only ate dinner in O'Leary's Sports Bar so cannot comment on the other meals there. The hotel shop has a limited offering and is quite expensive, be aware the shop cannot sell alcohol after 9pm. The pool was great and kept the kids entertained, lighting made it look really unique. The slide, waterfalls and whirlpools were all really good fun, didn't get a chance to try the sauna. The price for a family ticket was €60 and gives access to everything (massages extra). We also went in the Angry Birds park on our last night, this was €10 for my eldest and free for my youngest as she was under 4 years old - they both loved it. Hotel staff were friendly and helpful when we needed anything, but we didn't need to bother them much. A couple of things I would say is that as a family of four with two young children (3 & 6) arrived at 6:30pm after a full day of travelling having got up at 3am, we had to all drag our Suitcases to our lodge on our own in the snow which was a 5-10 minute walk away and not easy to find the first time. I think they should look to half a golf buggy (there is a golf course opposite) to help you to your room on the first night - have had this in plenty of other hotels previously so I don't see why it would be a problem. Also when we booked a taxi to take us back to the airport it would have been helpful had the taxi been able to come to our lodge to collect us and our luggage rather than having to make two trips with the luggage and children to reception to meet it. I feel these are small items that can be fixed with a bit of feedback and didn't impact the total enjoyment of the trip overall - the kids loved it and given the choice, would certainly return!

This is a great place to stay in Ruka. The location can't be beaten - right in the middle of Ruka Village and literally a few yards from the Gondola and ski hire shops. We've stayed here three times now and picked the superior rooms to get access to the balcony, as the views on to the skiing area are spectacular. The rooms are comfortable and large, with a sizeable modern bathroom, a drying cabinet for ski gear, and ample desk and wardrobe space. The ”double” rooms are actually twins with two smaller beds pushed together, in the European style. The rooms are well-heated, even when it's well below zero outside, and we made use of the screened vents and the balcony door to moderate the temperature. There's a TV, good quality Wifi and a Chromecast in the room, along with the usual things like a kettle and tea and coffee. Although we didn't use them, there are Sauna facilities. Breakfast is wonderful, a great mix of Finnish and international breakfast food, served in a separate area at the back of the hotel. There's a great restaurant and bar at the front of the hotel that serves amazing local dishes at a cost. We usually book the half-board option, and the hotel has clearly listened to feedback, as the half-board option is now served in the rear of the hotel, in the same area as the breakfast. The quality of the food has markedly improved since last year, and even though it's cooked to a budget, we've eaten some great choices there this week with a local flavour - reindeer salad, arctic char, pickled vendace, alongside some more conventional nuggets, fries, meatballs and meatloaf that fussy kids would like. The hotel has clearly made a lot of effort on the half-board menu, adding in much more local food, desserts and choice, which is great to see. The staff are great - courteous and really helpful. They can't do enough for you. The rooms are kept spotless and clean, as are the interior areas. We were allocated a ski locker behind reception. which is very handy for the start and end of the day. The location cannot be beaten. Ruka is split between the Village and the Valley, with the majority of shops, eating and entertainment in the Village. The Scandic is right in the middle of everything and a few steps away from the ski bus, heated parking, gondola, ski facilities, outdoor excursions, shops, cafes, bars, supermarket and several restaurants at various budget levels. The majority of the skiing is on the Valley side, but we definitely prefer the Village, and love the Scandic.